He's Changed
by Smilin
Summary: Draco is having trouble in some classes and is determined to do better. Hermione comes to the rescue. But with long nights in the Room of Requirement, will their feelings for each other change? ENJOY! Chapter 7 finally up!
1. The Meeting

Chapter One The Meeting

"Hey Hermione," Harry said as he walked to the table Hermione was doing her homework at a table.

"Hey Harry," Hermione smiled, "Would you like to sit down?"

Harry sat. "So, are you planning on going to Hogsmeade next weekend?"

"There's already a trip to Hogsmeade planned? Didn't we just get her?"

"We got here a month ago, Hermione," Harry smiled, "Aren't you backed up on homework already?"

"Harry, I unlike you, have already completed my homework which means I unlike you have the privilege to go to Hogsmeade." Hermione said with a sneer.

"Oh Hermione, you sounded just like Malfoy did last year." Harry said with a pained look on his face. "And I do have the privilege to go to Hogsmeade. If you'll remember correctly two years ago Sir…" Harry stopped talking.

"Oh Harry, I'm sorry to have brought that up." Hermione said quietly laying her hand on his arm.

"No." Harry said taking a deep breath, "its fine. Everyone is right. It's mostly thanks to Sirius that everyone knows about Voldemort."

_Harry is right_, Hermione thought, _if Harry didn't love Sirius so much then he wouldn't have gone to the ministry to look for him last summer. The ministry wouldn't have known Voldemort was back._

"So anyways, the reason I'm here is to ask if you would like to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend."

"Harry, I go with you all the time. Why would this time be any different?" Hermione asked with a small giggle.

"Well, this time I thought we could go, you know… without… I mean just me and you. Like a… a…," Harry looked at his feet.

"Like a date?" Hermione helped.

"Yea like a date." Harry said firmer, still looking at his feet.

"I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you, Harry." Hermione smiled.

"You would?" Harry asked finally looking at Hermione.

"Yea, why not?" Hermione got up kissed Harry on the cheek, "But for now I'm going to bed." Hermione walked up the girls' staircase looking back at Harry, who was smiling, as she rounded the corner.

Hermione woke up earlier then usual and got ready for her first class. It was Arithmancy, and since so few students took the class all four houses were put into the same class. This was the one class that Hermione had to deal with Malfoy without Harry or Ron's support. Ever since last summer Malfoy had been getting meaner and meaner to her. The insult of "mudblood" came up at least 30 times a period. To make matters worse, there was assigned seating and she was seated next none other than, Draco Malfoy.

Hermione met up with Harry and Ron in the common room.

"I'm really beginning to dislike Arithmancy," Hermione said grumpily.

"It can't be all that bad," Ron said as they climbed out the portrait hole. "I mean at least it's not Double Arithmancy. You don't have that long to sit next to him."

"Ron, any time sitting next to Malfoy is horrible." Hermione said with a huff. "Especially since he knows I know his father is a Death Eater."

"I'm sorry you have to sit next to him Hermione. But at least it's not like Umbridge or something." Harry said with a smile.

The trio of friends sat next to Ginny at the Gryffindor table. Ron began piling his plate with food instantly. Ginny and Hermione gave him a disgusted look.

"Ron, that's totally barbaric." Ginny said raising her eyebrows.

"Speaking of barbaric," Ron raised his eyes to Hermione. "I have to find out from Harry that you two are ditching me this weekend? A date? With Harry?"

"Ron, of course you would find out from Harry first," Hermione stated. "You two do share a dorm room. Anyway what does that have to do barbaric?"

"Well, I thought that half way through the date you could be barbaric and ditch Harry to come meet up with me?" Ron asked wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

"I'm sorry Ron, maybe… never." Hermione giggled.

"Ah well, looks like it's just me and you, Gin." Ron said with a smile.

"Well, Ron, as much as I would absolutely LOVE hanging out with my favorite brother at this school, I have a date." Ginny said getting up.

"Ok, well I'll let the date thing slide since I'm your favorite brother at school." Ron called to her retreating back.

"Ron," Hermione said sympathetically, "You're her _only _brother at school." Hermione smiled, "Hey Gin, wait up." she yelled getting up and following Ginny. "See ya later" she called over her shoulder.

"Bye Hermione" Harry called.

Hermione was pleased to see Malfoy wasn't in class yet. It was only a matter of time before he would get there though. Hermione sat in her seat and took out her books. Looking up when she finished she saw Malfoy walking in the door.

"I know you can't get enough of me Granger but could you please not look at me?" Malfoy said while sitting down.

"I know you think your superior to everyone else but your not. So please believe me when I say that it was a coincidence that I looked up when you walked in." Hermione said looking at her books.

"So you have a date with, Potter, this weekend?" Malfoy said looking at the board.

"How did you know about that?" Hermione asked shocked.

"Word travels fast around Hogwarts, Granger, you should know that," Malfoy sneered. "So what's Potter got that I don't have? Besides the old war wound."

Hermione shot Malfoy a look of hatred as the class started. Malfoy took out a quill, ink, and parchment, and started writing. Hermione was curious as to what he could be writing before Professor Vector had told them to, when he passed the parchment to Hermione. She quickly stuffed the parchment in her book before the professor could see it. After a couple minutes Malfoy whispered, "Aren't you going to read it?"

As subtly as she could Hermione took out the parchment Malfoy had passed to her. She quickly read the note.

_No seriously Granger, what does he have?_

Hermione glanced to the front of the class Professor Vector's back was turned as he tapped to board to put notes on it. She looked at Malfoy who was writing notes down.

_Well, first of all he cares about me. He doesn't call me mudblood. He is against all evil. We've been friends since first year… need I go on? _Hermione glanced at Professor Vector again who had changed to notes on the board. _Now I need to borrow your notes._ She quickly pushed the parchment to Malfoy then looked at the board. It didn't take long for him to respond.

_I promise to give you my notes if you promise to do me a favor. _Hermione put a question mark on the page and pushed it back to Malfoy. Again he pushed it back to her in less then a minute. _Meet me in the Room of Requirement at 8 o'clock tonight. _

Hermione read and reread the note utterly perplexed. _Why should I even think your going to be there? Or even worse what if you will be there and curse me the second I walk through the door._ She pushed the paper back.

_What if I give you my word that my wand will stay in my back pocket for the entire meeting? _Was Draco's response.

_Why should I believe your word?_

_Because, the word of a wizard cannot be taken back. I promise that if I bring out my wand you can curse me before I even get enough time to think of a spell._

_Is it just going to be you there?_

_Yes just me without a wand._

The bell rang throughout the castle. Hermione quickly shoved the note in her bag and grabbed her books.

"So?" Draco asked.

"Fine. But only because I need those notes." Hermione said and turned and headed out the door without a backwards glance.

Hermione kept checking her watch as she, Ron and Harry sat at their favorite table finishing her homework. It was ten to eight.

"Jeez Hermione, late for a date or something?" Ron joked.

"No, I'm just going to go for a walk. I'll be back later." Hermione said.

"Do you want company?" Harry asked.

"No, I'll only be a couple minutes, Well, less then half an hour. I promise." Hermione grabbed her Arithmancy stuff and headed out the portrait hole.

In ten minutes Hermione was standing outside the Room of Requirement having second thoughts. Finally taking out her wand she slowly opened the door that wasn't normally there.

"I didn't think you'd come." Malfoy said with her back to her. He turned around. "I didn't think you'd come armed."

"Where is your wand?" Hermione asked.

"In my back pocket just like I promised." He held up his hands to show they were empty.

"So can I have your notes?" Hermione asked wanting to get right to the point.

"Well, there's a problem with that." Malfoy said.

"Malfoy, who promised, you gave me your word as a wizard or something."

"Well, it's not like that, I swear. I have my notes; it's just that they're not the best notes in the world."

"Well, I'll take what I can get. It is your fault that I don't have my notes in the first place. Anyways, how can I expect you to have the greatest notes in the world, because we _were _talking while you were taking the notes which I still don't know why I was. And we weren't talking so much as writing-"

"You know you babble when you're nervous." Malfoy interrupted.

"How would you know?" Hermione snapped, "and why would you think I was nervous?"

"Just a hunch I guess." Malfoy shrugged, "The reason my notes aren't good are because I…"

"Because you… I need a little more then that Malfoy."

"Look!" Malfoy said loudly. "I am not the greatest at Arithmancy. It's actually quite amazing that I passed my O.W.L.'s last year. Assuming of course that my father didn't pay them off."

"Look whose babbling now." Hermione said repressing a smile.

"The reason I wanted you to come here tonight was so I can ask you a question." Malfoy said looking down. Hermione's heart jumped to her throat. "I was wondering if I could ask for your… he…"

"My help?" Hermione asked.

Malfoy glared at Hermione. "Yes I wanted to ask if you could help me with Arithmancy."

"Like tutor you?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Yes, you know maybe once or twice a week or something for like an hour or something." Draco said looking back down.

"Ok. How about Thursdays and Sundays for an hour. Seven to eight."

"I have Quidditch practice on Thursdays."

"Ok then Wednesdays that would be better because Harry and Ron have Quidditch practice and they wouldn't know I was gone." Hermione smiled. "Could I have your notes now? We can start today only I have to be back to my dorm in 20 minutes."

Hermione and Malfoy spent the next 20 minutes fixing his notes and reminding him of some of the things they learned back in third year.


	2. Hogsmeade

Chapter 2 Hogsmeade

Hermione woke up to the squeals of her roommates, Lavender and Parvati. Hermione rolled on her side to stare at the curtains of her four poster bed. She was beginning to fall asleep again when Parvati ripped her curtains open.

"Hermione!" Lavender squealed behind Parvati. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Why didn't I tell you what?" Hermione asked sleepily.

"About your date with, Harry?" Parvati yelled.

"Oh that." Hermione smiled. "Yea, he asked me after Quidditch practice on Wednesday."

"Hermione, I'm so happy for you." Lavender said "I always know you and Harry would get together!"

"How did you find out?" Hermione asked while sitting up in bed.

"Ginny." the two girls said in unison.

"Ginny told you?" Hermione looked between Lavender and Parvati, "I can't believe I didn't think to talk to Ginny about going out with Harry."

"What does talking to Ginny have to do with Harry?" Lavender asked.

"Because, she's had a crush on Harry for… forever." Hermione got out of bed and quickly grabbed her dressing gown and walked out of the room. She walked down the hall to a door labeled Fifth Years. Hermione knocked softly on the door. Ginny was the one who opened the door. "Hey, Gin."

"Hi, Hermione," Ginny said walking back inside. "What're-ya up to?"

"Nothing much," Hermione said walking into the room and closing the door. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"Ok," Ginny said from her bed. "What can I help you with?"

"So I know that you know about my date with Harry." Hermione said looking at Ginny.

"Yea I do. I'm really happy for you." Ginny smiled. "It's kind of good though if you think about it. I never thought Harry would date again between what happened with Cho and then what happened last summer. I was actually surprised to see him smiling when he came to The Burrow over summer break."

"Yea," Hermione reminisced. "I was actually wondering what you thought of me saying yes. I know you have fancied him for a while."

"I guess I did fancy him," Ginny looked at Hermione, "But things change, you know? I don't really fancy him anymore. I actually have a date today too."

"You do?" Hermione asked, "Who?"

"Promise not to laugh?" Ginny paused when Hermione nodded, "Neville."

"Oh Ginny, I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks, he asked me out a couple of days ago." Ginny said, "I was kind of shocked because I didn't think he fancied me."

"Yea well, at least your not going to spend the day with Ron." Hermione giggled.

Ginny joined her. When the girls finished their giggling Ginny asked, "Where did you go off to Thursday night?"

"I just went out, I decided to help a student with Arithmancy," Hermione answered.

"Was it just a one night thing?"

"No we decided to work together twice a week."

"Who?"

"I'd rather not discuss that information," Hermione said jokingly. Ginny giggled and they both walked down to breakfast together. When they got there they sat next to Harry and Ron.

"Hey Hermione there's still time to change your mind about ditching Harry this afternoon." Ron said wiggling his eyebrows.

"Well Ron, thanks but no thanks." Hermione said. When Ron gave her a look of mockingly deep hurt she added, "I really do appreciate the offer though. I'm really sorry."

Breakfast finished without Ron asking anymore about Hermione ditching Harry. It wasn't until they finished eating and Harry asked if Hermione was ready to go that Ron brought up. "The offer still stands Hermione, you know if your up to it. Meet me in the Three Broomsticks say around 1 o'clock." he called to their retreating backs.

Hermione looked over her shoulder, "I'll think about it Ron."

Hermione and Harry had a great day together. They went to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer, then entered Zonkos. "It's really weird looking at this stuff when we can get it from Fred and George for free." Harry whispered to Hermione.

"Yeah, I guess so," Hermione grinned, "You want to get out of here?"

Hermione and Harry went Honeydukes and stocked up on enough sweets that would last them until the next Hogsmeade weekend. "There really isn't as much to do here as I thought," Harry said as they walked down the streets of the small town.

"I guess the excitement of an all wizarding town sort of wore off, huh?" Hermione asked, "Now that we've been living with the knowledge of it for 6 years."

"Yea, I guess so," Harry agreed. Hermione noticed him looking down. She wasn't entirely sure what he was staring at. It wasn't until she felt Harry slip his hand in hers. Although her heart fluttered it was a complete shock to feel his hand. It didn't take long however, to get used to the idea. Harry seemed a little nervous but when Hermione didn't do anything or say anything about Harry's actions he seemed to give a sigh of relieve. The pair continued wandering through the streets with no real destination. Hermione noticed that the cottages were getting farther apart and the gardens seemed to be getting larger. She saw the mountains in the distance getting larger. It was then that Hermione noticed were they where. She wasn't sure if it was Harry's intention to come here. Sirius used to live in the mountains in the distance in their 4th year with Buckbeak.

"Harry, can I ask you something without you getting mad?" Hermione asked.

"Hermione, I don't really want to talk about my feelings." Harry said gloomily.

"I understand that you don't want to," Hermione said turning to face Harry with his hand still in hers, "but have you? I mean with anyone. It's really not good to keep your feelings bottled up like that. Last summer on the train you hardly said anything the whole way to King's Cross."

"I know," Harry said looking at Hermione, "but I did talk. Mrs. Weasley made me talk to her over the summer. It did help. I'll admit I was rather moody when I first went to The Burrow, but after I talked to Mrs. Weasley I felt better."

"As long as you talked to someone, Harry. Let's sit down," Hermione said and Harry nodded. They sat down next to each other with their backs leaning against a nearby fence. "What about Occlumency?"

"I'm studying it again," Harry said sadly, "Dumbledore is the one who is teaching me this time. I've decided to try really hard on this go."

"Why?" Hermione asked already knowing the answer.

"If I would have practiced Occlumency last year then Sirius would still be alive, wouldn't he?"  
"Harry, you can't say that. It's not your fault about Sirius."

"Yes it is," Harry retorted angrily. "If I wouldn't have had that dream about Sirius then I wouldn't have gone after him, then he wouldn't have come after me. He wouldn't have died." Harry chocked out the last word.

"Harry you can't believe that." Hermione whispered.

"Can we talk about something else, Hermione?" Harry asked looking down.

"Yeah, Harry, anything you want," Hermione said lightly trying to cheer up the mood.

"I don't know," Harry said looking up as if a topic would fall out of the sky. "What about the fact that we both passed our O.W.L.S. and we won't have to study that much for a test for a while."

"Harry!" Hermione yelled, "N.E.W.T.S. are just around the corner! You mean you haven't started studying yet?"

"Hermione," Harry smiled, "We've only been back at Hogwarts for a month. It's ages until N.E.W.T.S. The fact that they are next year is the biggest reason for that."

"Harry, N.E.W.T.S. can make or break your career. I mean-"

"That's what you said about our O.W.L.S. last year." Harry interrupted. "And don't worry, I promise I will study for and pass my N.E.W.T.S. next year."

All Hermione could do was smile. As the sun began to set they agreed it was time to get back to the castle and get some homework done that was due the next day. It was when they got back to the common room that Hermione realized she needed to leave if she was to make it to the Room of Requirement in time to meet Malfoy. Hermione said she had to get her Arithmancy homework done first as it was the first class in the morning, she told Harry she should be back soon, "I've just got to check some facts in the library first."

It didn't take long for Hermione to get to the Room of Requirement and she didn't have second thoughts this time as she stood outside the door. When she walked in however she wished she hadn't.

"You know, Granger," Malfoy said with a sneer, "You're the one who came up with the meeting times, one would think that you, of all people, would be on time."

"I'm sorry, Malfoy," Hermione said, "I can't believe I just apologized to a Malfoy."

"You know, Malfoy's aren't all that bad." he retorted, "We just have bad reputations."

"Yea, Bad reputations that almost got Harry killed last year."

"That wasn't me, and I'd thank you to not remind me of such poor interpretations of a Malfoy."

"A Malfoy that is the head of your family,"

"Well, that depends on the eye of the beholder." Malfoy whispered. "Can we focus on the matter at hand please, Granger. You know, it took a lot out of me to ask you to help me, the least you could do is actually help me instead of bicker with me."

"No," Hermione said looking square in the eye with Malfoy, "the least I could do is show up."

Malfoy looked down, silently agreeing with her. He took out is books and sat at one of the desks near the window. "I'm sorry, ok, can we get to work now Granger."

"On one condition." Hermione said and when Malfoy looked at her she continued, "Can you please not call me Granger when we're in here? It puts me on my guard and as much as I know that I need to be when I'm in the same room as you, I can't very well teach you with my guard up."

"So what do you want me to call you, Hermy?" Malfoy asked with a smirk.

"Hermy!" Hermione asked repulsed, "Why would you think I would want any living soul, or ghost even, to call me Hermy?"

"I heard Potter call you it once, when you were walking by the Slytherin table when we came back to Hogwarts."

"That was something different, he definitely got yelled at for calling me that." Hermione smiled while reminiscing then came crashing down to reality when she remembered Malfoy was in the room. "Anyway, you can call me Hermione, that is my name."

"Right… Hermione…" Malfoy said quietly, "Then I suppose you should call me Draco as we are getting on, friendlier terms. And as much as I love getting on friendlier terms with you Gran… Hermione, sorry, I would really like to study. We have a test on Thursday."

"I thought I was the only one who worried about tests in advance."

"This isn't really advance, it's four days away and we have an hour together on Wednesday and," he glanced at is watch, "45 minutes today, I need to study."

"Right, let's get on with it then." And they did. It took them the whole time they had left, they studied to the very last second but Hermione was sure that Draco understood everything.


	3. The Test

_**A/N: I know I know… it's been a long time since I updated… a really long time. But I'm going to stick with the story now. I made an outline on the rest of the story so I already know what's going to happen, sorta. I'm going to try to update as often as I can. Which hopefully will be often… please review on the chapter. ENJOY.**_

_**Disclaimer: Anyone you recognize belongs to J. K. Rowling. But you know that already don't you? **_

Chapter 3 The Test

Hermione couldn't help but look at Malfoy as they took the test on Thursday. She was nervous, not only for him but for herself. She didn't know how good of a tutor she was and she hadn't told anyone this but her fallback career choice, if she couldn't become an Auror, was to become a professor at Hogwarts. She helped Harry and Ron in the past but they were special cases. They were just special themselves, and she knew that in some classes they cheated off of her. She never told them she knew but she knew nonetheless. Malfoy was different. She would really know how good she was. She would also know how good Malfoy was. He did say he understood her over the past couple of days, but sometimes she wasn't sure if he really did. After writing down an answer for question 22 she took another quick peak at Malfoy's paper. Her heart was racing. _I know you know this stuff Draco, _she thought; _prove to me that you know it._

"Is there a problem Miss Granger?" The whispered question came from Professor Vector who had been standing right behind her.

Hermione jumped in her seat as she turned around to look at her professor. "No, sir" she whispered back and looked back down at her test.

"I didn't think so," he whispered putting a hand on her desk, "let's keep our eyes on our own paper shall we?" He patted her desk twice before walking back up the row.

Hermione faced turned a deep crimson as she looked at Malfoy. He was staring right at her with a questioning look on his face. "Cheating?" he whispered as quietly as he could. He shook his head disapprovingly with an evil smirk on his face and moved his paper a little farther away from her shielding it from view. Hermione rolled her eyes and finished her test without taking the chance of looking at Malfoy again.

The bell rang throughout the castle signaling the end of class. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, quills down please, the test is now complete. Please place your tests face down on your desk. I will see you all tomorrow and I expect chapter 6 to be read. We might have a quiz on it tomorrow or Monday, I haven't made up my mind yet." The class groaned when they heard this.

As Hermione turned her test face down on her desk she gave Malfoy a look that he knew meant, "How'd ya do?" All he did was shrug his shoulders, grab his bag and walked out of the room. Hermione watched his retreating back and had the urge to look at his test. When she glanced at the front of the room she saw Professor Vector looking at her so she didn't look at Malfoy's test. Instead she grabbed her bag and walked to the front of the class. "Professor-"

"Good day Miss Granger." He cut her off.

"But I just want you to know that I wasn't…"

"Good day Miss Granger," He repeated tapping his wand on the blackboard putting up notes for the next class. Hermione looked at him and nodded before walking out of the room.

Hermione was so nervous about Malfoy's test that she kept staring at him throughout Potions. She almost added the wrong ingredient to the potion her and Harry were working on. He had just grabbed her hand before she added it. "Hermione, are you ok?" Harry asked as her took the nettles out of her hand and put them on the counter. Hermione still hadn't taken her gaze off of Malfoy. Harry looked at her concernedly. Finally she looked at Harry.

"I'm sorry. What were you saying, Harry?" Hermione turned her gazed to face him.

Harry looked from Hermione to Malfoy then back to Hermione. "Are you ok?" He asked again.

"What? Yeah, I'm perfectly fine," Hermione smiled, "why do you ask?"

"Hermione, you're not the type to be screwing up a potion." Harry looked deep into her eyes. "Are you ok? Did something happen? Does it have anything to do with Malfoy? Cause I'll kill him if he hurt you…"

"Harry, I'm fine!" Hermione said cutting him off. "I'm just a little distracted. Nothing happened."

"Why are you distracted?" Harry still wasn't sure if she was ok.

"I just had a wicked hard test in Arithmancy." Hermione answered. "I'm just worried that I didn't do as well as I thought I could have."

"That's it?" Harry asked in a disbelieving tone. "Hermione, I'm sure you did fine. I know you got at least a 100 on it. If not, well, then you got a 200."

Hermione smiled at Harry, "thanks, Harry. That really means a lot to me. But I don't think anyone could get a 200 on a test. Not even Dumbledore."

Harry smiled too, "alright, maybe a 150."

"I still don't think anyone could get a 150, Harry."

"You got a 112 in a first year. You're almost up there." Harry shrugged. "And knowing you, you would be the first one in Hogwarts history to get a 200 on a test."

"Potter! Granger!" Snape yelled from behind them, "This is not social hour! 20 points from Gryffindor. Now get to work on your potion or it will be a detention for both of you."

As Snape walked away from Harry and Hermione they grinned guiltily at each other before getting back to work on their potion.

Hermione decided not to worry about Malfoy's test anymore. She would find out tomorrow how he did. She shouldn't worry herself, or anyone else around her, by freaking out about Malfoy's test. It wasn't even her test. Why worry?

Hermione sat at her desk on Friday in Arithmancy waiting for class to start. Malfoy wasn't there yet, but neither was Professor Vector so it wasn't like Hermione could find out his grade right now anyway. As Hermione got out her books Malfoy walked in and took his seat next to her. There was something different about him. He took out his books and stared at the door to Professor Vector's office. _What is so different about him?_ Hermione thought.

"Come on Vector." Malfoy muttered to himself. It was then that Hermione figured out what was so different about Malfoy.

"Nervous much Malfoy?" Hermione asked with a grin.

"What makes you think I'm nervous, Granger?" Malfoy spat back without looking at her.

Hermione chuckled to herself before answering. "You walked in without saying anything mean. No rude, grotesque comment that you are infamous for. I didn't know what it was until you stared at Professor Vector's office door. You nervous about the test aren't you?"

"Ok Miss Know-it-all," Malfoy said in a deadly whisper, "I'm not nervous about the test. I'm just curious about it is all."

"Ok Malfoy." Hermione grinned again. It was nice to know that Malfoy was nervous about his test too. It helped her to know that he really wanted to do better. Hermione started thinking about what she would teach Malfoy on Sunday when Professor Vector walked in.

"The tests are graded," he said holding the tests up above his head before dropping them on his desk. "I have to say, I've seen some improvements with some people. Still, others aren't doing so hot and should seek help, whether it is with me or with a classmate or an older student. To those who ask I can give some names of students in my seventh year class who are willing to tutor you." Hermione noticed Malfoy's head drop as the professor continued to talk. "You need to understand the basics before you can do any better in this class." Hermione felt that Professor Vector looked at Malfoy when he said this statement and made a mental note of it. Malfoy must not understand the basics. "I have also decided not to give a quiz on chapter six today. But expect one on Monday." Professor Vector then proceeded to hand out the tests.

Hermione stared at her test for what felt like forever. She had gotten a 124. That was the highest test grade she had ever gotten and considering the way she left class yesterday it was quite a surprise. As she looked through the test she saw comments of "excellent" and "outstanding" written by her answers. Then on the very last page she saw a long comment written on the page. _Miss Granger, I just want you to know that I know that you wouldn't cheat on a test. Especially off of Mr. Malfoy, but I do have to keep up appearances to the rest of the class. Let's just make sure that next test you don't look at anyone's test._

Hermione smiled at the note on her test. Then she looked over at Malfoy. Malfoy had wide eyes as he stared at his test. Hermione then looked at his grade. He got a 79. Nothing she would have been proud of but then again. This had to have been his best grade ever. She smiled to herself as she thought that she helped him get that grade.

_**A/N: well that's it… sorry again about abandoning the story but I'm back on it now and won't give up until it's done. Got to go get to work on chapter four! It'll be up soon. Keep Smilin'**_


	4. The Dream Part I

**A/N: I just want to thank everyone for reviewing. This took longer then expected but I had some stuff to do for my classes. Here's the chapter**

Chapter 4 The Dream Part I

Hermione reached the Room of Requirement early on Sunday. Draco wasn't even there yet. It was the first time that she was in there without him and she really got to look around the room. She had always been so nervous when she was in there with Draco that the only thing she knew for certain was where the exit was.

The room was no bigger then an average size living room. It was quite small and cozy. Hermione looked and noticed there were 3 sets of desks in the room. They were all lined up along the windows in sets of two directly across from the door. It only took about five or six steps to get there. One set of the desks had the two desks facing each other with one facing the windows and one facing the door. Another set had one desk facing the windows and another desk facing the side of the first desk. The last set of desks were sitting side by side facing the windows. To the right of the door, were two winged back chairs and a couch making a sort of box facing a fireplace where a fire was cheerfully crackling. Along the majority of the walls were books upon books. There were shelves that reached the ceiling full of books. There were two bean bag chairs to the left of the door where little piles of books were sitting. Hermione decided that by the end of the year she will have read all of these books.

She sat down on one of the bean bag chairs and grabbed the book off of the top of the pile next to her. The first book was _New Theory of Numerology_, which Hermione had already read. Next was_ Arithmancy Made Easy_, Hermione put that one aside, she would read it but decided to wait until Draco got there.

"What are you doing, Granger?" Draco asked. He was leaning against the door frame looking at Hermione.

"Just looking at the books," Hermione answered. She was now standing because Draco had scared her so she jumped up. She held out _Arithmancy Made Easy _for Draco to see.

"I've already looked at them," he said taking the book from her and throwing it on the ground, "nothing worth reading."

"Maybe that's why you're not doing great in class, because you don't bother reading." Hermione grabbed the book off the ground. "I think if you read all the books in here you would be better at Arithmancy then me."

"As much as I would love to be better then you in class I think it's unlikely." Draco looked down at the ground. "And I want to thank you for helping me." He looked up and noticed it was Hermione who was now looking at the ground with a small smile and she was blushing slightly. "What? No come back?"

"What do you want me to say?" Hermione asked looking everywhere in the room except at Draco.

Draco took a step closer to Hermione. "Maybe comeback isn't the right word." He brushed some hair out of Hermione's face, he was very close to her now and Hermione finally looked at him.

"What are you doing?" She asked in a barely audible whisper. Hermione deep brown eyes looked deep into Draco's grey ones. She could not tell what emotions were in his eyes. She had never looked this close before and usually it was just deep hatred shining brightly. This time it was different. This time when she looked into his eyes her knees felt weak. It felt like at any moment she would melt onto the floor. Draco gently cupped Hermione's chin and tilted her face up towards his. "Draco…" Hermione tried to vocally resist what she knew was inevitability coming. However, as Draco brought her closer to him Hermione has not done anything physically to stop him.

Draco did stop mere inches from Hermione's face. He was staring at her lips, "I want to kiss you." He brushed his thumb over her lips while moving his gaze to her eyes. "I _need_ to kiss you." Draco brought his face down to Hermione's. They locked lips and it was not what Hermione had expected. She figured Draco would be rough and domineering but as their lips touched it was only a soft delicate kiss. Hermione was so surprised by his gentleness that she dropped the book but as hit the floor it sounded more like braking glass.

Hermione sat up in bed really quickly. She looked around and noticed she was back in her room. She stuck her head out of the curtains of her four poster bed. Lavender was standing there staring down at the glass she had just dropped with a guilty look on her face. When she heard Hermione moving she looked at her bed. "Sorry," Lavender whispered, "I accidentally dropped it when I was trying to get a drink. I'll pick it up; you can go back to bed."

Hermione just shrugged her shoulders as she put on her slippers and dressing gown. "I can't sleep. I'm going to go downstairs." Hermione had a lot of things to think about after just waking up from that dream. There was no way she liked Dra- Malfoy that way. She was just helping him for the sake of helping him. How could she like anyone who had been mean and rotten to her since their first year at Hogwarts? Besides she was dating Harry now, even if it had only been about a week. Harry was the one she truly liked. She wouldn't go as far to say love but she did like him more then just a friend. Didn't she? They had been best friends since their first year and had experienced a lot of stuff together. They had always been there for each other whereas she and Dra- Malfoy had hated each other since they met. But Draco did seem different. He really cared about his grades now. He also didn't seem to like his father so much anymore. Maybe he changed.

**A/N: I just want to thank one more person before I close this chapter. Here's a shout out to my little sister for giving me the idea to change things up a little in the story. The next chapter will be up pretty soon. Either today or tomorrow because it won't take me long to write at all. Stay tuned and Keep Smilin'  **


	5. The Dream Part II

**A/N: Told ya the next chapter will be up today. I hope you enjoy it cause I changed things up a little. Review!**

Chapter 5 The Dream Part II

Draco stood outside the Room of Requirement door angry with himself for being late. Then he changed his mind, he wasn't angry with himself he was angry and Crabbe and Goyle for being "stupid buffoons." He slowly opened the door expecting to see Hermione standing there ready to yell at him for being late. As he opened the door Hermione wasn't at the desks. She was sitting on one of the bean bag chairs looking at some of the books. Draco leaned against the door frame and watched her. He didn't know why he didn't say anything but he decided to watch her for a while.

She grabbed the book off of the top of the pile next to her. After looking at she put on the ground. Hermione picked up another book and put it next to her on the seat.

"What are you doing, Granger?" Draco asked.

"Just looking at the books," Hermione answered. She quickly stood up. She held out _Arithmancy Made Easy _for Draco to see.

"I've already looked at them," he said taking the book from her and throwing it on the ground, "nothing worth reading."

"Maybe that's why you're not doing great in class, because you don't bother reading." Hermione grabbed the book off the ground. "I think if you read all the books in here you would be better at Arithmancy then me."

Draco snorted before talking. "As much as I would love to be better then you in class I think it's unlikely." He looked down at the ground. "And I want to thank you for helping me." He looked up and noticed it was Hermione who was now looking at the ground with a small smile and she was blushing slightly. He smiled when she saw her standing like that. "What? No come back?" He asked as he started walking toward her

"What do you want me to say?" Hermione asked looking everywhere in the room except at Draco. He wondered silently to himself why she wouldn't look at him.

Draco took a step closer to Hermione. "Maybe comeback isn't the right word." He brushed some hair out of Hermione's face, he was very close to her now and Hermione finally looked at him.

"What are you doing?" She asked in a barely audible whisper. Hermione deep brown eyes looked deep into Draco's grey ones. He hoped she would not be able to see what he was thinking through his eyes. He was defiantly nervous, though he had no idea why. Draco gently cupped Hermione's chin and tilted her face up towards his. "Draco…" Hermione whispered. Draco liked the way Hermione said his name. It just sounded so right coming from her mouth.

Draco was staring at her lips trying to suppress his need to kiss her, "I want to kiss you," he said trying to make it sound like he was asking permission. He brushed his thumb over her lips while moving his gaze to her eyes. "I _need_ to kiss you." Draco brought his face down to Hermione's and gently captured her lips with his. It felt so right to be in this position with her. Her lips were so soft and he enjoyed kissing her. The book in Hermione's hand fell to the floor but as it hit the ground it sounded like someone was saying is name.

"MALFOY!" someone yelled his name in his ear while roughly shaking him awake.

"What do you think your doing?" Draco pushed off the offensive person that woke him up. He looked at the person and it was Crabbe. "What the hell do you want?"

Crabbe looked at Draco, "you just got a letter from your father. Your owl gave to me instead of you."

Draco angrily ran his fingers through his hair knowing what the letter was going to be about. He took the letter from Crabbe with a little more force then he intended but didn't say anything. Crabbe just shrugged and went back to bed. Soon the sound of his snores filled the room.

Draco put the letter next to him on his bed. Before he could deal with his father he had to remember the dream he was just having. He could vaguely remember kissing someone. He couldn't think straight at the moment because he was so groggy from being woken up so quickly. Did he kiss Hermione? It had to have been her, he remember talking about Arithmancy. He had no idea why he would have a dream about kissing Hermione. She was just a smart mudblood who helped him with his homework. That's all that "relationship" meant to him. He wanted better grades so why not go to the smartest one in the year? Even if she _was_ below him.

But did he really believe that? Did he really think that just because Hermione's parents were muggles that meant that they were below him. Hermione was smarter then he was and she was a better witch then he was wizard. In all actuality _he_ was below _her_. That was the night that Draco decided not to use the term mudblood anymore. Now Draco needed to figure out why he had a dream about Hermione. It wasn't just any dream either. He kissed her. He actually kissed her. He didn't see anything being the same between them anymore. Draco now had the knowledge and vision of them kissing. Even if Hermione didn't know Draco did. He hoped Hermione never found out either, or anyone else. That would be embarrassing if everyone found out that he had a dream about kissing someone that he acted like he hated since they met. Besides, Hermione had a boyfriend and she was probably in love with him and wouldn't want anything to do with Draco.

Now it was a little matter of the letter from his father. He thought about leaving it and reading it in the morning like any other normal human being but his father wasn't normal. Draco wasn't even sure if his father was a human being and he was probably waiting right now for Draco's reply. Draco stared at the letter a little longer just imagining what was inside. Whatever it was Draco knew he wasn't going to like it. He slowly slit open the letter, settled back against his pillows and began reading.

**A/N: Thanks Rae for giving me the idea for this chapter. I don't know hoe it's going to go. We shall see, we shall see… ok everyone tell me if you like the idea of changing the point of view in the chapters. I sort of like it but don't know if I'm going to continue doing it. No offense or anything Rach… we'll see what everyone else says. Well that's it for now… I'm going to work on chap 6… I think you'll like it! Keep Smilin'  **


	6. The Kiss

**A/N: I am so sorry it took over a year to get this chapter out. You might want to read the previous chapters to get caught up on what happened.

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Chapter 6 The Kiss

Hermione tiredly made her way down the staircase to the common room. The image that she saw when she reached the bottom made her smile. Ron was passed out on one of the round tables with many books piled around him. Harry was at another table also with books all around him but he was awake. He let out a frustrated sigh as he tiredly ran his hand through his hair making it even messier then it usually was. Hermione walked towards Harry. She put her hands on the back of his chair and looked over his shoulder to see what he was doing. Harry jumped when he saw her from the corner of his eye.

"Hermione," Harry said tiredly as he tried to make his messy hair look presentable, "what are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep," She answered as she sat down next to him, "I had a bad dream."

"Oh," Harry looked straight into her eyes. Hermione knew that he was thinking of something else. Like she had had a bad dream about Voldemort or something but he really had no idea. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, it's fine." Hermione smiled reassuringly, "I'll be fine."

"Ok. But just know that I'll always be here for you." He took her hands in his still looking into her eyes. To Hermione it looked as if he was holding something back from her. There was something different in the depths of his emerald green eyes, something she had never seen it before. It wasn't anything bad; it actually made her feel good. It made her smile as he continued talking, "If you ever need to talk about anything."

"I know, Harry. I greatly appreciate it too but this time you really don't have to worry about me." Hermione shrugged, "What are you working on?"

Harry groaned at the change of subject, "Potions essay. Right now I'm at about three inches."

Hermione moved closer to Harry to look at his essay. "Harry you need three feet by Tuesday!" Hermione explained the entire lesson over to Harry. She wasn't exactly sure if he was paying any attention but she didn't voice her concerns until he had stopped giving his responses of "yes" and "uh-huh." "Harry, are you even paying attention to me?"

Harry abruptly came out of his reverie. "Yeah, Hermione! Why wouldn't I pay attention?"

Hermione looked at Harry. "Because this is your least favorite subject, and you despise the teacher, there are many more reasons. Need I go on?"

"Ahh Hermione, one of my least favorite teachers may have taught me this lesson earlier but right now one of my best friends is re-teaching it to me!" Harry tried to smoothly wipe the sleep from his eyes but Hermione knew that he had fallen asleep. "How about you just give me your essay tonight and teach the class to me tomorrow?"

"If I give my essay to you then Ron will want to copy it. Neither of you two will learn anything from copying!" Hermione didn't want to give in again and let them copy. "Harry what will happen if you become an Auror? They have to fill out paper work and things of that sort. You can't copy anyone else's; you have to do it on your own."

"I know Hermione, and I promise this will be the last time I copy anything from you. Ron and I will be up and ready to get tutored first thing in the morning."

"Do you promise?" Hermione knew she shouldn't give in but it was too hard not to. They were her best friends and she didn't want to see them fall behind. "And you won't fall asleep… And you'll pay attention… And you'll ask questions when you don't understand something… And you won't talk about Quidditch…"

Harry interrupted Hermione before she could think of anymore regulations. "I promise to do everything you just said and anything else you come up with."

Hermione smiled as Harry took her hand in his again. It wasn't a smile of happiness, not that she wasn't happy, it was more along the lines of her holding something back. She could not stop thinking about her dream of Draco. Her mother had always said that she would know she had the perfect man by his kiss. In her dream, Draco's kiss was perfect, even if it was only a dream. "Harry, kiss me."

Harry looked surprised, "What?"

She stood up taking Harry's hand and forcing him up as well. "I want you to kiss me."

Harry was not sure what he should do. She had just told him to kiss her but he wasn't sure if he could. It just seemed too abrupt. But he put one hand on her cheek and his other hand on her waist and pulled her close. As their lips drew closer together Hermione closed her eyes. Once their lips met she opened them, this didn't feel right. She pulled away from Harry by taking a step back. "Harry, I…" she trailed off and looked at the ground.

"I know what you're going to say. It didn't… it wasn't…" it was Harry's turn to trail off.

Hermione smiled, "Friends?" she stuck out her hand.

"Friends." He took her hand and they shook but ended up pulling it into a hug.

"Did I just witness the end to the Harry-Hermione Saga?" Ron asked groggily from the couch.

Hermione laughed as she pulled away from Harry. "You might have. Well boys, I'm off to bed" She walked by the couch Ron was sleeping on, "See you bright and early tomorrow." She rubbed Ron's hair before making her way upstairs.

"Does she realize that tomorrow is Sunday?" Ron asked Harry.

"Well, that was your new potions tutor walking up the stairs, mate. She said we could copy her homework today only if she could teach us potions tomorrow."

Ron groaned and slammed his head back on the couch, "Harry, next time you decide to get me a tutor make sure that it's on a weeknight or something."

* * *

_Draco,_

_The Dark Lord has decided that it was time you lived up to your heritage._

_Since your 17th birthday is just around the corner He feels it is time that you_

_took your place among the other Death Eaters. You are to come home over _

_your holiday break to begin initiation. Your initiation will be completed after _

_the school year is over. I, and the Dark Lord, will not take no for an answer. _

_I will make arrangements for someone to meet you at King's Cross Station._

_Make me Proud,_

_Father_

Draco had read the letter several times before it sunk it. He was going to become a Death Eater. How could his father even imagine for one second that Draco wanted to be a Death Eater? He had made hints in the past that was what he wanted. However, that was when he looked up to his father, before he had started his first year at Hogwarts. Things had changed since then. He had made it clear to his father that things had changed since then. He pulled out parchment and a quill from his nightstand. He needed to write back to his father. He had a million things he wanted to write to him: _How dare you think I want to become something as loathsome and foul as a Death Eater_, or _Thanks but no thanks_, or the ever popular _Bite Me!_ As the owl flew back out the window with Draco's letter attached to his leg all that was written on the inside was _Yes Father._ He had to figure a way out of becoming a Death Eater. If not by Christmas then at the very latest before his initiation was over next summer.

Draco had other thing on his mind now. He would figure out his dilemma later. Now he was thinking about Hermione. The next day was Sunday and he had a lesson with Hermione that night. For some reason unknown Draco a small smile crept over his face as he closed his eyes and fell back asleep.

* * *

Hermione sighed into her dinner. She had a long day with Harry and Ron. No matter how many times she had told Harry and Ron off they would still goof off or talk about Quidditch or in many cases fall asleep. By lunch she was exhausted. But now it was dinner. She was ready to pass out into her mashed potatoes. She kept working with Harry and Ron until dinner. She hoped things would get better after lunch but they didn't. She still had to work with Draco after dinner. Draco was the reason that Hermione broke up with Harry. Neither Harry nor Draco knew that of course and neither would find out any time soon. As Hermione's thoughts turned to Draco she glanced at the Slytherin table. She was somewhat disappointed that she didn't see him sitting there. She looked at the door just as he was walking in. Hermione's heart skipped a beat and she quickly started back down at her food. 

"Hermione, are you alright?" Harry asked.

"What?" Hermione asked looking up at him, "Oh yea, I'm fine." She tried to act cool in case Draco was watching. She talked; she laughed and tried desperately not to look over at the Slytherin table. Well she tried not to get caught looking at the Slytherin table, she found herself glancing over quite often.

After looking at her watch for what felt like the hundredth time she decided it was time to go. "I'm gonna get going. I have a lot of studying to do for my Arithmancy quiz tomorrow." She grabbed her bag and walked out of the Great Hall.

* * *

Somehow by the next morning all of his father's friends children had found out Draco was going to be a Death Eater before the next school year. All of them wanted to talk to him about it. They thought he was the coolest. Draco found it difficult to get out of the common room for dinner. When he finally did make it to the Great Hall the first thing he saw was Hermione turning bright red and looking at her food. Somehow his eyes were drawn towards her. He wondered if she knew about his dream. He walked to the Slytherin table were many of the occupants gave him thumbs up and tried to have whispered conversations with him. Draco kept his eyes from looking between Hermione and Professor Dumbledore. They were the two that Draco wanted to know about him becoming a death eater the least. To his delight Dumbledore kept his eyes on his food deep in thought. Every time Draco looked at Hermione she was laughing and a twinge of jealousy would hit him deep in his stomach. When he saw Hermione get up and leave at 6:45 his stomach did a little flip and he knew it was time to leave. Draco quickly pulled himself away from the other Slytherins and followed Hermione out at a safe distance. 

Once they were out of the Great Hall Draco wanted to be next to her, "Hey, Granger." He yelled. Hermione froze on the stairs. Draco caught up to her, "I saw you looking at me when I came in the Great Hall."

Hermione groaned, "It was purely coincidental I promise," and continued her climb up the stairs.

Draco followed _Say something quick_ he said to himself. "Is there something wrong?" he inquired.

"Wrong?" Hermione stopped and didn't say anything for a minute. Draco climbed a few more steps so that he was eye level with Hermione. The only thing on his mind was the dream. He wanted to kiss her again. _Again?_ He thought to himself, _I haven't even kissed her for a first time._ He kept steady eye contact with Hermione, his eyes never wavering from hers.

Draco watched as Hermione shook her head continued climbing the stairs again. To his surprise his arm flung out and grabbed Hermione's wrist and held her back. Draco's heart raced as she quickly spun around. He didn't mean to grab her but he was glad he did and didn't let go. "What's wrong?" He asked her. He watched as the fear subsided in her eyes. It hurt him to know that she was scared of him but it made him feel better as he watched the emotions change in her eyes.

"I didn't realize you were the type that cared." Draco's heart stopped at her comment. He didn't know why her statement hurt him so much. He dropped her hand and looked at the floor.

"Well, I guess there's a lot about me that you didn't realize." Now it was Draco's turn to walk up the stairs. When he didn't hear her coming up after him he turned around. She was standing on the same stair he had left her at looking up at him. "We should probably start studying," he said. Hermione nodded followed him up to the Room of Requirement.

When they reached the Room of Requirement Draco walked straight over to the coach and throwing his bag on the ground he fell on the coach with a grunt. He turned his head and looked at Hermione. She was standing by the bean bag chairs and looking at the books on the floor. He watched as she picked the book off the top and put it aside then she turned pale. "What's wrong?" He asked curiously, "You look pale."

Hermione quickly looked up at him, "oh it's nothing." She picked up the book and brought it over to him. "Did you read Chapter 6 yet?"

"Yes ma'am." He said childishly. "What's that?" He asked nodding towards the book.

"Something you should read." She handed the book to him.

Draco felt the color drain from his face as he looked at the book. _Arithmancy Made Easy. _It was the same book she had from the dream. From what sounded far away Draco heard Hermione say, "Now who looks pale?" Draco forced himself to look at her.

"Like you said, it's nothing." He took the book from her, "do you really want me to read this?"

"Yeah, it'll really help you out." She said trying to stifle a yawn. "By the way, do you have your test? I want to look at it and see how you did."

"It's nothing compared to your 124 but at least I passed." Draco really did not want Hermione to see his test but he wanted to do better in the class. He figured the only way to do that was for Hermione to know where he was in the class now.

Draco sat up on the couch while reaching for his bag. As he pulled out his test and handed it to Hermione yawned again. He laughed as she sat in one of the winged back chairs. "Are you going to make it through the class, Teach?" he asked laughing.

"I'm just tired that's all. I'll be fine." She settled back into her chair and began going through Draco's test.

Draco started reading. After what felt like an eternity of reading he looked over at Hermione. _Is she sleeping?_ He asked himself. As quietly as he could, Draco put down his book and tip-toed over to the chair Hermione was sitting in. Her legs were tucked up underneath her, and Draco's test was on her lap. _She's beautiful,_ he thought. He squatted down so that he was eye level with Hermione. _How could I have ever been mean to her?_ He wanted to kiss her but thought better of it since she was sleeping. There was hair in her face. He gently brushed it behind her ear. Hermione slowly opened her eyes at his touch. She smiled and that made Draco smile. He hadn't moved his hand from her hair yet but now he brought it down and brushed her cheek gently with his thumb. He couldn't resist any longer. Draco slowly moved his face towards Hermione's and captured her lips with his.

* * *

Hermione was walking up the stairs after she left the Great Hall when someone yelled behind her, "Hey, Granger." She froze on the stairs and turned around. Malfoy was walking up the stairs toward her, "I saw you looking at me when I came in the Great Hall." 

Hermione groaned, "It was purely coincidental I promise," she turned back around and started walking up the stairs again.

"Is there something wrong?" he inquired.

"Wrong?" Hermione stopped and didn't say anything for a minute. Nothing was wrong with Hermione except for the fact that she was in love with one of her worst enemies. Obviously she couldn't say that to him though.

Hermione shook her head continued climbing the stairs again. All of a sudden Draco grabbed Hermione's wrist and held her back. Hermione quickly spun around frightened. Draco didn't let go, instead he asked, "What's wrong?" Hermione calmed down. She looked into his eyes and he looked hurt. She didn't know what was wrong with him. "I didn't realize you were the type that cared." The hurt in eyes intensified. He dropped her hand and looked at the floor.

"Well, I guess there's a lot about me that you didn't realize." Now it was Draco's turn to walk up the stairs. Hermione felt bad about what she said. She didn't mean to hurt him. She didn't follow him up the stairs because she was deep in thought. She looked up at Draco's retreating back. He turned around. "We should probably start studying," he said. Hermione nodded followed him up to the Room of Requirement.

When they reached the Room of Requirement Draco walked straight over to the coach and throwing his bag on the ground he fell on the coach with a grunt. Hermione laughed to herself because of Draco. She stood by the bean bag chairs and looked at the books on the floor. She picked the book off the top and put it aside. As she read the title of the second book she froze. _It's the book from my dream,_ she thought to herself.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked curiously, "You look pale."

Hermione quickly looked up at him, "oh it's nothing." She picked up the book and brought it over to him. "Did you read Chapter 6 yet?"

"Yes ma'am." He said childishly. "What's that?" He asked nodding towards the book.

"Something you should read." She handed the book to him.

Hermione looked curiously at Draco, "Now who looks pale?" Draco looked at her.

"Like you said, it's nothing." He took the book from her, "do you really want me to read this?"

"Yeah, it'll really help you out." She said trying to stifle a yawn. _Why am I so tired?_ "By the way, do you have your test? I want to look at it and see how you did."

"It's nothing compared to your 124 but at least I passed." Draco replied. Hermione felt sheepish at his comment. She didn't want Draco to think she was a know-it-all. It was ok to be smart but it was something else to flaunt it. She learned that her first year from Harry and Ron.

Draco sat up on the couch while reaching for his bag. As he pulled out his test and handed it to Hermione she yawned again. He laughed as she sat in one of the winged back chairs. "Are you going to make it through the class, Teach?" he asked laughing.

"I'm just tired that's all. I'll be fine." She settled back into her chair and began going through Draco's test. Hermione circled some of Draco's answers fighting to keep her eyes open but it was a losing battle. Soon she was off in dreamland.

Hermione felt something on the side of her face. She was too tired to swat it away but she slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Draco brushing hair from her face. She smiled and her heart raced as Draco smiled back. He hadn't moved his hand from her hair yet but now he brought it down and brushed her cheek gently with his thumb. Hermione looked into Draco's eyes. He seemed to be getting closer. Hermione's stomach was doing summersaults. Draco slowly moved his face towards Hermione's and captured her lips with his. The room seemed to dissolve around her. The only thing that mattered was Draco. As Draco pulled back Hermione let out the breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Class dismissed." She said with a smile and Draco laughed.

* * *

**A/N: Again I apologize. Between writer's block, school, and a change in my major, and a computer crash (That I lost EVERYTHING in) things have been pretty hectic. I will try really hard not to make it so long before an update. Please R/R. Keep Smilin'  **


	7. The Competition

Chapter 7

**A/N: There goes another year and another chapter. I am soo sorry! But as you read this I am hard at work on the next chapter. Anyways, enjoy!!**

Chapter 7 The Competition

It had been a nearly month since the night that Hermione and Draco kissed. Many things had changed since then. Hermione no longer hated Arithmancy. Instead of Draco calling her a mudblood things like, "Hey, Beautiful," would be the first thing that Hermione heard from Draco. All of his comments were still in an undertone so that no one but Hermione heard them but it made her feel special. Hermione still hadn't told anyone what had happened. It was a little secret that she kept to herself. She wouldn't have called Draco her boyfriend but they were spending more and more time together. Studying with Draco tended to last longer into the night. They had gotten closer over the last couple of weeks. They hadn't kissed since then or even talked about the kiss. Each was comfortable with the fact that it happened and it only changed things for the better between them.

About a week before Halloween, Hermione went down to dinner alone leaving the boys in the common room to an intense game of wizard chess. She sat down next to Ginny at the Gryffindor table.

"Where are Harry and Ron?" Ginny asked as Hermione sat down alone. "You guys aren't fighting again are you?"

"Oh no," Hermione replied, "They're upstairs being boys. I figured I'd come down to dinner before I starved waiting for their wizard chess game to end."

Ginny laughed as she put a spoonful of mashed potatoes on her plate. She stopped quickly however when she had noticed Professor Dumbledore was standing up at the head table awaiting everyone's attention. Ginny nudged Hermione with her elbow and nodded towards him. Hermione gently put down her fork filled with peas that was halfway to her mouth and gave her full attention to Dumbledore. Slowly other students caught on and everyone had turned their attention to the headmaster, including Harry and Ron who had just showed up and sat down across from Ginny and Hermione.

"Thank you everyone," Dumbledore began. "In light of the recent events that have happened these past two years I feel that as a school we need to become more united. I propose a competition of sorts. The entire school will be divided into groups of four. Each member of the team will be from separate houses in the same year.

"There will be two parts to this competition." Dumbledore continued, "The first part will be to build or create something to show unity using only muggle methods and tools, which will be provided for you. The unity you choose to exhibit can be about anything, inter-house unity, unity in the wizarding world or unity with muggles. The possibilities are endless in this part of the competition. You can build a statue, paint a portrait, take a picture, write a song or a poem, anything that you and your group feel unity is being portrayed in."

There was a pause in Dumbledore's speech as the students whispered quietly to each other about the competition. As the conversations subsided Dumbledore continued, "The second part of the competition will be to write a paper about one of the people in your group. Who you write about and how you choose to divide up the task is up to you and your group members. In the paper you will write about the past of the person and what they want their futures to be. I know some of you do not want to get that close to your classmates but I feel that as a whole this will help in the unity of the school. More information will be provided to you by your heads of houses following dinner in your common rooms. Any questions you may have should be brought to them. Thank you for your time and dig in!"

With that Dumbledore sat down. The Great Hall exploded into multiple conversations. At the Gryffindor table people were complaining loudly. Hermione heard Seamus saying something about not wanting to be stuck with any Slytherins. She heard Dean agree but Ginny didn't. Hermione wasn't really listening to anyone but looking across the room to meet Draco's eyes. She wasn't sure but she thought she saw him wink before looking back to say something to Crabbe.

"Hermione?" Harry asked again, although it was the first she heard him.

Hermione quickly looked back at him, "yea?"

"What do you think about all of this?" He asked exasperated.

"The competition?" Harry nodded and Hermione continued, "Well, I think it's a great way to meet other people from the other houses. Yes Ron, even the Slytherins. Not all of them are bad you know."

"This from the girl who has a Slytherin calling her names every other day." Ron said with a scowl. Hermione blushed slightly and looked down at her plate. She pushed her peas around for a while as conversations went on around her. She kept her eyes averted throughout the remainder of dinner.

* * *

Draco had been doing a lot better in Arithmancy in the last month. Slowly but steadily his grades had been improving. He was also beginning to understand the basics which had helped him out tremendously. When he wasn't in his lessons with Hermione he was busy thinking of a way to get out of becoming a Death Eater. This is what kept him up at night. In fact, the only way he could get to sleep was after working late into the night with Hermione. He was usually wiped out from so much reading. With thoughts of Hermione fresh in his mind it was easier to fall asleep.

Draco was becoming infatuated with Hermione. He couldn't think of any other way to describe it. He had stopped calling her mudblood and instead he gave her whispered comments when she walked into class. It made him feel good to not be so nasty all the time. He still had to keep up appearances though lest his father find out. There were so many spies inside the Slytherin house. Any one of them could write to his father in a heartbeat.

About a week before Halloween, Draco was sitting at the Slytherin table half listening to his classmates complain about other students and professors when he saw Hermione walk in. His heart leapt up into his throat and his stomach did a little summersault. Hermione however, paid him no mind and bee lined to a seat next to the Weasley girl at the Gryffindor table. After his heart had plummeted to his stomach he continued his half listening to the students around him, finally realizing that he was being addressed.

"So Draco what do you think?" Parkinson had asked him.

Draco took note that she, Crabbe, and Goyle had huddled in close to him and he knew what they were in some way talking about Death Eaters. "What do I think about what?" he sneered.

"What do you think the initiation is going to be like?" she whispered in an urgent need to hear his thoughts.

By this time Draco had noticed that Dumbledore was standing up and most of the student body had their attention on him. Draco leaned in close to the others and in a deadly whisper said, "Father won't tell me what's going to happen until I get there. I do however suggest that the next time you feel the need to discuss my private life you do so in not such a public place." He then put on a bored face and focused on Dumbledore. The others took note and did the same thing.

"Thank you everyone," Dumbledore began. "In light of the recent events that have happened these past two years I feel that as a school we need to become more united. I propose a competition of sorts. The entire school will be divided into groups of four. Each member of the team will be from separate houses in the same year."

Draco eyes shifted from Dumbledore's blue ones to Hermione's deep brown. She had not noticed that Draco had stared at her for the remainder of Dumbledore's speech. She would not know that he had been hoping that somehow the two of them would get paired together.

Dumbledore sat down upon finishing his speech. The Great Hall exploded into multiple conversations coming from every corner of the room. Draco was surprised when Hermione glanced in his direction. Was she thinking the same thing as he was?

"Can you believe this Malfoy?" Crabbe asked, "Imagine being paired up with a Hufflepuff or even a Gryffindor!"

Draco gave a slight wink to Hermione before looking on to Crabbe, "Do what I do. Sit in a corner and have everyone else do your work." Draco chanced a glance back at Hermione who had a slightly pink complexion as she played with the food on her plate. Draco turned back to his housemates and half listened as they complained, rather loudly, about not wanting to do the project.

After they had finished eating Draco and his fellow Slytherins left the table to make their way down to the dungeons. There was the usual traffic jam at the door leading out of the Great Hall. Draco felt something bump into his side and he could feel the anger growing in the pit of his stomach. When he looked back to see who had run into him he saw Hermione. A soft sorry had escaped her lips. This was the first time they had been this close with many people around since they kissed. Not wanting anyone to hear him say anything Draco gave Hermione a small crooked smile. The corners of her mouth went up slightly before they quickly dropped back down. Draco's heart fluttered a little knowing that had they been alone she would have given him one of her full beautiful smiles. As he looked over her shoulder he saw Snape staring right at him.

"Watch yourself, Granger!" he said roughly.

After pausing for a moment she replied simply, "Maybe next time, Malfoy."

Soon the Slytherins had pushed their way through the doors and down to the dungeons. The whole house was in the common room waiting for Snape to come in. If it was possible they were louder than they were in the Great Hall. It was clear to anyone who would walk in the room that the Slytherins were not happy with this project. Draco took his seat in his favorite wing backed chair closest to the fireplace. He stared into the spitting flames lost in his own thoughts when Snape entered the room. Draco turned his attention to Snape as his housemates complained loudly to their Head of House. It didn't take any more than an angry look from Snape to get the room to become completely silent.

"I detest this _competition_as much as the next wizard." Snape started, "But seeing as the Headmaster thinks this is one of his more brilliant plans I'm afraid there is no way to get out of it. I suggest you simply go along with it. I will not tolerate any rule breaking from this house. If I get one complaint from anyone about one of you it will be detention with me in a heartbeat." He glared in the general direction of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"Now, there will be lists on the bulletin board tomorrow of who will be in your group."  
Snape continued, "You are stuck with who you get. There will be no swapping partners and do not even think of coming to me to complain about your group. I had nothing to do with placement.

"Starting tomorrow, and up until Halloween, you will not be staying at your house tables for meals. Instead, you will be sitting with your groups. There will be assigned tables set up in the Great Hall so you don't have to worry about where to sit.

"One final item, the competition ends on Halloween with a ball." There was a chorus of groans from the students in the room which quickly subsided with a glare from Snape. "You will be required to dance with one member of your group. Don't think that you will be able to pick which song it is either. I suggest you pick a member of your group from the opposite sex, unless your door swings in the opposite direction. Any questions?"

A long hand stood out in the mass of black robes. Draco groaned inwardly, stupid first year, now they were going to be stuck here even longer. "What is it, Zoeller?" Snape snapped.

"Well sir, you said this was a competition, what's the prize if we win?" Zoeller asked timidly.

"You will be able to take a week long trip, with your group, to Lucerne, an all wizarding town in the south of France." Snape said already turning on his heel to walk back out the door. "There better not be anything else."

With that he was gone. The common room broke out in conversations again. Draco sighed and went up to his room. He had enough of listening to his classmates. As he leaned back in his bed with his Arithmancy book his mind began to wander. As much as Draco wanted to be in the same group as Hermione, it would be difficult to have to be in such close company with her and still have to treat her like she was beneath him. He didn't like having to put on that charade outside the Room of Requirement. If he hadn't been so terrified about what his father or the Dark Lord was going to do he would have told not only Hermione, but everyone, about his feelings for her. With the velvety green curtains pulled tightly around his four-poster bed, Draco drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

Hermione didn't know what to say to Harry and Ron on the trek back up to Gryffindor Tower. She had to hold them back after the little confrontation with Draco in the Great Hall. She couldn't tell them that Draco meant nothing by it, they would immediately know something was up if she were to defend him. There had to be some way to share her feelings about Draco with Harry and Ron. They were her best friends and she hated lying to them like this. When they asked her where she went on Sunday night's she had a hard time thinking of new excuses. She was lucky it was only one night of the week she appeared to be missing to them, as the other night she was tutoring Draco was during the Gryffindor Quidditch Practice. There had to be some way to explain to Harry and Ron that Draco had changed. He wasn't the same person they met on the Hogwarts express during their first year.

Lost in her own thoughts Hermione was surprised when she walked into the common room to see Professor McGonagall standing by the fire. "Nice of you to join us," she said curtly.

"Sorry, Professor," the trio murmured together as they took a seat at the only open table by the windows.

"Now that we're all here," Professor McGonagall began, but that was the last that Hermione had heard of her speech. She was, again, lost in her own thoughts of Draco.

Did she really want him to be in her group? Sure, he had changed for the better when they were on their own studying, but whenever they were in classes or the Great Hall he was different. He wasn't the old Draco Malfoy, the one that had called her mudblood at every chance he got; but he wasn't the Draco Malfoy she knew from the Room of Requirement.

Hermione's mind came back to the present when the door to the portrait hole closed with a snap. Had she really missed the whole speech about the competition?

"Well, this could be interesting." Harry grinned to Hermione as he pulled a book out of his bag.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, hoping it didn't sound as if she hadn't heard a word of McGonagall speech.

"Sitting with our teammates at meals," Harry explained. "I mean, think of all the hostilities between the houses. This could turn out to be quite… interesting."

"Who cares who I have to sit with?" Ron interjected, "So long as I get to go to the South of France for a week. I would even dance with Malfoy to be able to go!"

Hermione raised her eyebrows at this comment, "dance with Malfoy?" She asked disbelieving.

"Ok, so maybe I won't dance with Malfoy," Ron continued, "the point of the matter is I want that trip to Lucerne!"

Hermione shook her head in amusement, "I don't know Ron, I think it would be kind of fun to see you and Dra-." Hermione immediately stopped talking.

Ron and Harry stared at Hermione with wide eyes. "Did you just call Malfoy by his first name?" Ron nearly yelled at the top of his lungs.

Hermione blushed a deep red, "I don't know what you're talking about." She stood up quickly from the table, "I'm going to go up to bed." With that she all but ran up the girl's staircase to her room. How was she going to explain herself to them in the morning?

In the room, Lavender and Parvati were already sitting on their beds gabbing. "I wouldn't mind having my Slytherin be Malfoy." Lavender gushed.

"I was thinking the same thing," Parvati agreed, "either him or Blaise Zabini."

"Oh yea, he is so cute! Isn't he like Malfoy's best friend?" Lavender questioned.

Hermione tried her best to ignore her roommates banter as she got ready for bed. This was a very difficult task however as they kept shrieking. Hermione tried to sneak into her bed and avoid the conversation but that was not to meant to be,

"Who do you want in you group, Hermione?" Lavender asked from across the room.

"Oh, I don't know," Hermione sighed, "someone hard working, I guess. The trip to Lucerne sounds like fun."

"Then I guess Malfoy's out for you!" Parvati squealed. "He's the laziest person in our year!"

"No he's not," Hermione defended. "He's actually one of the top people in our class."

"Why are you defending Malfoy, Hermione?" Lavender asked. "I mean after everything he has done and said to you, it's a little weird."

"I'm not defending him," Hermione stated, "I'm just giving you the facts. You know how I love facts."

Lavender and Parvati looked at each other thinking the same thing. "You're into Malfoy aren't you?' Lavender asked breaking the silence.

"I am not!" Hermione said indignantly.

"It's okay if you are, Hermione," Parvati replied, "He is a total babe."

"I wouldn't call him a babe," Hermione said quietly.

"There's not much else to that boy besides looks," Lavender injected, "well, looks and money."

Hermione didn't have a reply to this so she bid her roommates goodnight and closed the curtains around her bed tightly. That was twice in ten minutes that she had a slip up about Draco. This could turn out to be a very long year.

**A/N: So there you go! Hope you enjoyed it. Please R/R!! Keep Smilin' :) **


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